Gueiler Tejada, Lydia (1921–)

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Gueiler Tejada, Lydia (1921–)

Bolivian politician, diplomat and president. Name variations: Lidia Gueiler. Born in 1921 in Bolivia.

Was a member of Parliament (1956–64), then lived in exile for 15 years; served as subsecretary for Agriculture and president of Camera de Diputados (1978); was acting president of the Congress and acting deputy head of state (1978–79), Bolivia's 1st woman president; deposed in a coup by a military faction with strong ties to the drug trade, lived in exile in France (1980–82); following another coup, served as ambassador to West Germany (1983–83), then Venezuela (1983–86 and 1993–).